Seasons, Colors, Flavors, & Sizes of Onion

Onions vary in color, flavor, time of year harvested, and size. These differences make onions very versatile.

Seasonal Differences of Onions

Yes.Onions are seasonal!
Based on when they are harvested, onions grown in the U.S. can be divided into two categories.

Spring/Summer Onion Traits

Available in yellow, red, and white
from March through August

Can be identified by their thin, lighter-colored skin

Typically higher in water content,
which reduces their shelf-life and
makes them more susceptible to
bruising

Range in flavor from sweet to mild

Best to use in salads, sandwiches, and fresh, lightly-cooked or grilled dishes

Many specialty sweet onions are part of this category and are sold under a specific trade name or label

Note: Some domestic and all imported onions with these traits are offered other times of the year.

Fall/Winter Onion Traits

Available August through May in yellow, red, and white

Easy to recognize by their multiple layers of thick, darker colored skin

Commonly lower in water content, they have a longer shelf-life

Range in flavor from mild to pungent

Best for savory dishes that require longer cooking times or more flavor

Colors of Onions

Bulb onions can be yellow, red, or white. Approximately 87 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about eight percent red onions, and five percent white onions.

Yellow Onions

Yellow Onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor.

Red Onions

Red Onions, with their wonderful color, are a good choice for lots of fresh uses or for grilling, charbroiling, and roasting.

White Onions

White Onions are often used in prepared salads, white sauces, and is the traditional onion for classic Mexican cuisine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed.

Onion Color, Flavor, Usage Guide

This chart was created to serve as a guide for helping you choose what kind of onion to use in a recipe. Feel free to let your own tastes, preferences, and creativity along with this chart guide you to your own decision. The most important thing to remember is "bring on the onions" and enjoy!

Note: Crop size in the chart below is approximate. Remember, flavor and usage info are general guidelines for each color and type.

Color

Variety or Type

Availability

Raw Flavor/Texture

Best Usage

Yellow Onion:All-purpose and most popular, approximately 87% of the U.S. onion crop is comprised of yellow varieties. The most well-known sweet onions are yellow. The best type of onion for caramelizing is a yellow storage variety. Cooking brings out this variety's nutty, mellow, often sweet, quality when caramelized.

Sweet

March-September

crisp, juicy, mild flavor with a slightly sweet ending with little to no after-taste

raw, lightly cooked, sautéed, or grilled

Fresh, Mild

March - August

crisp, juicy, mild to slightly pungent with a faint after-taste

raw, lightly cooked, sautéed, or grilled

Storage

August-May

strong onion flavor, mild after-taste

grilled, sautéed, caramelized, baked, or roasted

Red Onion:
About 8% of the U.S. onion crop is red. They have gained popularity in the past decade, especially in foodservice on salads and sandwiches because of their color.

Sweet

March-September

crisp, very mild onion flavor

raw, grilled, or roasted

Fresh, Mild

March-September

bright tones, slightly less water content than yellow with a slightly pungent ending

raw, grilled, or roasted

Storage

August-May

sharp, spicy, and moderate to very pungent

raw, grilled, or roasted

White Onion:Approximately 5% of U.S. onion production is dedicated to white onions. They are commonly used in white sauces, potato and pasta salads, and in Mexican or Southwest cuisine. Due to the compact nature of their cell structure, white onions do not store quite as long as other varieties.

Fresh, Mild

March-August

moderately pungent and clean finish, very little after-taste

raw, grilled, sautéed, or lightly cooked

Storage

August-May

modertaley pungent to very pungent and full flavored, but finishes with a cleaner and crisper flavor in comparison to yellow and red storage varieties

raw, grilled, sautéed, or lightly cooked

Preparation Tips:
1. Cut onions as close to cooking or serving time as possible. Onion flavor deteriorates and its aroma intensifies over time.
2. High heat makes onions bitter. When sautéeing onions, always use low or medium heat.
3. Chopped or sliced onions can be refrigerated for up to 7 days in sealed containers.

Onion Sizes

Onions range in size from less than one-inch in diameter to more than 4.5-inches in diameter. The most common sizes sold in the U.S. for retail are between 2 to 3-3/4 inches in diameter.

Check out a few recipes from Onions Etcetera The Essential Allium Cookbook!
"In this gorgeous book, onions finally get their star turn. The recipes will surprise and seduce you; you will want to cook every single one." - Ruth ReichlMore